My Baby Left Overnight!!!

So, if you have read on here much, you know my going on 4 year old wasn't potty-trained and was still on a pacifier. This week she has started using the potty on her own AND last night she slept bink-free!!! Not exactly by choice, we couldn't find it anywhere, but she didn't even throw a fit! She woke me about 3 and told me she needed something to suck on, but after a little snuggle with mom she went back to bed. Today she has remembered her daddy had told her we couldn't "Talk to God about another baby" until she was using the potty so she has been badgering me all day to have a baby sister for her. I am GREAT with the idea :-) but we'll see what Daddy has to say when he comes in as he has been telling me for months "Noooooo" because he isn't ready yet.

Well, this isn't getting the cheerios off my living room floor. I think Anna was trying to feed her little brother like a dog!

What's in my alabaster jar?

My quiet time text a few mornings ago came from Matthew 26 and is the beautiful account of Mary anointing Christ with expensive perfume from an alabaster jar. The devo came out of my new Bible (which I have to girlishly add is a pretty green and blue). It talked about the sacrifice Mary made as it shared about the display of "Extravagant Love" she had shown Jesus. It was likely this jar was the most valuable thing she owned, and she gave it to Him. Not just gave it to him, but she poured it out on him, never to be returned to the jar and taken back. The discussion questions asked what your most precious possession is and if you are willing to offer that to Jesus today. What am I holding back? Do I worry what others will think as I give Jesus my all? I don't know about you, but it leaves me pondering a lot of things. I also wonder how often I leave the perfume in the jar to sit it at His feet, and all to often take it back when I decide I want to be in control again. So, what is in your alabaster jar? Are you willing to pour it out as an offering to the One who poured His life out for you?

Making Your Home Sing Monday: A Complaint Free Week

For my Making Your Home Sing Monday post I get to tie together two blogs I really enjoy reading. Heather over at the Striving Wife issued the challenge to join her for a complaint free week this week and I am jumping on board with her! How many of my utterances during the week are complaints? I would probably be shocked and saddened to know the exact answer.

The challenge I am giving myself will be two-fold, but connected. In addition to a complaint free week, I really want to praise my children and husband more. If you watch TLC or Discovery Health I am sure you know about the Duggar Family. I am always amazed at how sweet and patient Michelle is with her children. In their book they say they really try to praise their children 10 more times than they correct them. Tonight Anna finally used the potty of her own free will (PTL!!!) and I quickly saw just what an impact praise had on her. She is now completely stoked to use the potty tomorrow. We printed a Tinkerbell potty chart and put it on the bathroom wall and she can't wait to get more stickers on it. Now this is about the 7th potty chart we have attempted, but for whatever reason, it clicked tonight. (Thank you for praying.) So while I won't neglect correction, I am going to really strive to praise my children much more than I correct them. And if they are having a particularly trying day, that will be that many more things I will have to praise them for. Mondays are always particularly tiring for my husband. I can imagine its tough to hit the ground running on Monday morning after preaching on Sunday. So I am going to strive to make sure he knows just how much I appreciate all he does for our family. He works so hard to take care of us, especially so I can stay home with our children...and he still comes in and does laundry. I am truly blessed.

I hope you will join me in Heather's challenge. As I commented on her blog, I know we will emerge from this week a little more like Jesus as we focus on building those in our homes up rather than tearing them down through our complaints. A complaint free Monday will surely make my home sing! Head on over to Momstheword to see how other's are making their homes sing today.

Making Your Home Sing Monday: Rainy Day

God has given us a rainy day today. My first thought was "UGH, more rain?" as I stared at my baby plants eagerly awaiting a place in my now non-existent garden. But then I turned to notice my surprisingly clean living room floor (thank you, hubby!) and realized it was the perfect day to build that blanket tent Anna has been wanting for a while. I realized I can't even remember when she asked me if we could make one, and I haven't done it yet. Why? No real reason, just haven't taken the time. When was the last time I planned something silly into our day just because my kids would love it? So today, I am spending my rainy monday making my home sing with my kiddos in a blanket tent. We'll have hot chocolate and read books and worry about the plants another day! How are you making your home sing today? Head on over to Momstheword to see how other mom's are making theirs. She has a wonderful post about Time that really spoke to me. It added to my thoughts of my own day and encouraged me to make time for my kids today! Thanks, God, for a restul day after a busy weekend!

Blessed Day!

My beautiful girl before church.
My little guy having his own "jam session" at church before everyone arrives.

"I mean, really, I know you are a person in there!"


"But I have this egg I needed to show the Easter Bunny!"

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

What a blessed day! In spite of the storms and miserable cold weather, we had a wonderful day celebrating the resurrection of our Savior. Anna joyously retold her account of what Easter was about to everyone who would listen. I shared a few days ago about her proclamation that on Easter morning "Jesus got all better!"

We went to the community Easter Egg Hunt yesterday and of course the giant bunny and his friend, a giant chicken, made an appearance. I think Isaac managed to get himself in at least 3 kids pictures with the Easter Bunny! He loved them! Anna, on the other hand, was terrified of them. She kept telling me that she wished those people would take off the weird costumes!

I pray you all had a glorious Lord's day and Resurrection Sunday as well! May the true reason for the celebration be close to your heart amid the baskets and eggs and special dinners. What an incredible gift from our Lord we have to celebrate!

Goin' Ons at Our House

Has it been a week since I posted really? I don't know where it went. I am convicted of being a poor steward of my time when I realize I feel really busy, but don't have a clue what I have been doing. We are still in the seemingly never-ending cycle of trying to potty-train our oldest. (Tips, anyone?) To say I am at the end of my rope is an understatement.

Last week we passed the 2yr mark at Hubby's current church. I don't think anyone even noticed....hmm, wonder if that is a good thing or a bad thing???

Anna has been so excited for Easter. We daily talk about Christ's death and resurrection to instill that is the real reason for the holiday. But we do include baskets and eggs as part of our celebration. We don't do the Easter Bunny though. We saw him at WM and Anna wanted to know what was up with the giant bunny and when I told her, she declared "that's really weird" I asked if she wanted to pretend that and she said "Uh no, I just want you to make me an Easter basket" and went on to tell me as we were leaving she was ready to go because that big bunny back there was kind of scarin' her....yeah, me too, kid!

Strong-Willed Children

I haven't had a chance to blog this week...or maybe I haven't thought of anything worthy of sharing. Two nights ago we had a particularly difficult night with our daughter and I remembered another devo I'd written some time ago. I am tacking it onto the end of this post. As frustrating as she was Tuesday night, she can also be amazingly thoughtful and funny! We were talking about Easter and the real reason behind Easter. I asked her if she remembered what Easter was all about and she said, "No, what is it?" I reminded her Jesus died on the cross and she somberly said "Oh yeah, He diiiiieeeed" But when I asked what happened on Easter Morning she joyfully proclaimed "HE WAS ALL BETTER!" :o) Give thanks today that through His death and resurrection we can be made "all better" with God.

Strong-Willed Child

My daughter Anna is one of the sweetest and funniest little girls I have ever met. She is also one of the strongest willed! She is 3 and it seems each day is filled with some new battle with her. She rarely complies the first time I tell her to do something. My request is either met at the least with questioning, and at the most, with defiance. Tonight after a lengthy battle to get her to stay in bed (a nightly ritual these days) I couldn’t help but imagine I must be getting a tiny taste of how my Heavenly Father feels at times.
How many times have I cried out to Him asking Him to help me? And how many times have I continued on in my sinful rebellion? I beg Him to deliver me from the burden of obesity, and He provides a way for me to have a surgery that gives me this wonderful tool. What do I do? I find ways to eat around it and defy it. I cry out to Him that I can’t do it alone, and the next time that desire to soothe myself with food strikes, I ignore His quiet urging to rely on Him.
And yet as frustrated as I get with my daughter, I am still overwhelmed with my love for her. That love is what drives me to continue to teach her to be submissive and obedient. Not because I wish to dominate and rule over her, but because her life would be so much easier if she would learn to heed our advice and teaching.
How much more does the Father love us? How many times had Israel turned their backs on the Father? And yet look at an example of His incredible love in this promise not only to them, but to you in Zephaniah 3:17:
“The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
WOW! How amazing is that? The God of creation sings over ME? Over you? How incredible. As many times as I beg Him for help, and then defy the very request I have made, and He still loves me that much. You are His crowning creation. Don’t be afraid to accept the help you ask for, the help He so readily offers. When we ask Him for help, imagine He is extending His hand toward you. Climb into it, Dear One. Allow Him to quiet you with His love. When you find yourself afraid, frustrated, tired, wondering if you will make it through this battle, through this journey, rest in Him. He takes great delight in YOU!